Dubai opens Manila office as trade ties with Philippines accelerate

Non-oil trade reaches ₱54.8B in 2025 as new Manila hub strengthens business links, partnerships, and market access between the UAE and the Philippines.

Dubai International Chamber recently opened its first representative office in Manila, marking a deeper push in trade and investment links between Dubai and the Philippines.

Over the years, the Philippines has become one of Dubai’s fastest-growing partners in Southeast Asia, with non-oil trade reaching AED 3.58 billion (approximately ₱54.8 billion) in 2025, up 17% from the previous year. This growth is reflected in business activity between the two markets, with 2,592 Philippine companies now active members of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, a 23.3% increase year on year. In 2025 alone, 856 new Filipino firms joined, up 5.9%.

The opening of the Manila office builds on the outcomes of a trade mission to the Philippines organized by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce in May 2025. The mission brought together representatives from 17 Dubai-based private sector companies and resulted in 180 bilateral business meetings, helping convert early discussions into more structured commercial connections across sectors.

The Dubai global framework

The Manila office is expected to act as a working hub for both sides, offering market intelligence, identifying investment opportunities, and helping companies navigate entry into either market with more clarity. It will also support business matching efforts, linking Filipino firms with potential partners in Dubai while assisting Dubai-based companies exploring opportunities in the Philippines.

The initiative forms part of Dubai’s broader global expansion strategy under the “Dubai Global” framework, which aims to establish 50 representative offices worldwide by 2030 and strengthen its position as a global business hub across priority markets.

 

 

₱54.8 billion in trade and growing. Dubai has officially landed in Manila with its first representative office, aiming to turn historical labor ties into a high-powered business corridor. 

 

 

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